The DC Extended Universe has made a couple of huge strides this week starting with the official announcement for the imminent release of the elusive Justice League Snyder-cut on HBO Max next year. Another huge bombshell hit the news streams just a couple days later. After his surprise appearance on the Zack Snyder-led watch party for 2017's Justice League, reports from multiple news outlets have flooded in confirming Henry Cavill’s imminent return to the DCEU as Superman.
Cavill helped start off the franchise when he starred in 2013’s Man of Steel, directed by Zach Snyder. While the film arrived with mixed reviews critically, his performance as the title hero earned high praise. After earning $668 million at the global box office, Warner Bros. and DC Films came together quickly to kick off their own cinematic universe, which came right as their competitors at Marvel were already in full swing with the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Cavill has not donned the red cape since Justice League, and fans have been incredibly vocal wanting to see him make a glorious return to the franchise. The recent news regarding his return to the blue suit and red cape is certainly cause for celebration, although there are a few different angles to dissect. The Direct has broken down everything that’s been reported about Henry Cavill’s return to the DCEU...
Henry Cavill's Situation
Cavill is currently in a complicated relationship with Warner Bros. regarding his return to the Justice League franchise. While DC started off their cinematic universe with arguably the most popular superhero of all time, he has only been the focus of one solo film and had co-starring roles in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League. As of right now, there are no official negotiations happening between the two parties for Cavill to reprise his role, although both seem to be inching closer to this happening.
The last appearance for the Superman character was in 2019's Shazam!, although it wasn't actually Henry Cavill in the suit. The film used a stand-in for the very short Superman cameo, only showing the hero from the chest down to give the right illusion. It's unknown if the character is being written into the studios' upcoming projects like Aquaman 2, Black Adam, or Shazam! 2.
Of course, anything is possible when it comes to Hollywood. The recent chatter revolving around Cavill's imminent return to the franchise has fans going wild, and the possibility of seeing the red-caped Kryptonian finally suit up again in the DCEU has fans nearly foaming at the mouth. The only thing fans can do now is wait for more official news confirming his next DC film appearance.
Man of Steel Sequel for Cavill Uncertain; Will Cameo In Other Upcoming Movie
Man of Steel is still regarded as one of the highlights of the DCEU thus far, coming in with box office success, admiration from many critics, and gaining a huge fan base. Even while the franchise as a whole has come with its fair share of criticism and malign, the film that started it all has quite the following from fans and critics alike. The movie still has not earned a sequel seven years later, and it doesn’t seem like Cavill’s return will change that fact.
The reports from Deadline and Variety reveal that Cavill’s return as Clark Kent won’t be in his own solo movie, instead making a supporting appearance alongside another established DCEU hero. He will most likely appear next to a character with whom he has already had some interaction with such as Aquaman or Shazam, both of which have confirmed sequels planned for release in 2022.
It will be hard to tell if or when a potential Man of Steel sequel will eventually arrive, especially as the gap from the original gets larger by the year. Fans to this day have been vocal about wanting Cavill to have a second solo movie, and quite frankly, Superman is one of the most important heroes DC Comics has. Only time will tell if the film ends up a reality.
Cavill Will Not Film New Material for Snyder Cut
Alongside the Cavill news was the earth-shattering announcement of Zach Snyder’s cut of 2017’s Justice League, which Cavill helped to announce in a watch party for Man of Steel. It will release on HBO Max, available to stream sometime in 2021, although there are some tough stipulations that come with its release.
Unfortunately, news has released that there will be no new material shot for the Snyder Cut, not leaving a lot of room for any blue or red specific improvements. HBO has said that there will be no additional budget to shoot any new material for the Snyder Cut, which doesn't leave Snyder much opportunity to adjust his original plan.
Fans are simply hoping that Snyder already has all the footage that he needs to complete his vision for the film, and it will be exciting to see how his version of the movie differs from what was released in theaters. Whether Henry Cavill gets to film any more footage without the infamous mustache is anybody's guess, but it will be exciting nonetheless to see exactly what Snyder has planned for DC Comics' preeminent superhero team.
